Adoption of the Report of the Working Group on the
Universal Periodic Review of Venezuela
Statement of the United States of America
as delivered by Michele Roulbet
Human Rights Council 34th session
Geneva, March 16, 2017
Thank you, Mr. President.
The United States remains deeply troubled by the worsening human rights situation in Venezuela. At the UPR Working Group session, we called on the Government to respect citizens’ constitutional right to elections. The Government however failed to hold constitutionally required gubernatorial elections that should have taken place in 2016. We called on the Government of Venezuela to engage in dialogue with all Venezuelans, including the political opposition, to find solutions to the severe economic-social crises confronting the nation. The Government publicly lauded the dialogue process but ultimately did not follow through on its agreed commitments, while continuing to harass and imprison social and political activists. Most recently, the Government has implemented a political party re-registration process that could bar most opposition parties from participating in future elections.
We again call upon the Government of Venezuela to announce an election timetable for elections in 2017, to release all political prisoners, to permit the elected National Assembly to carry out its constitutionally-mandated functions, and to permit peaceful protests and independent media reporting.
(end statement)